Oregon
Revised Statutes: 203.035:
(1) ... the governing body or the electors of a county may
by ordinance exercise authority within the county over matters of county concern,
to the fullest extent allowed by Constitutions and laws of the United
States and of this state, ...
(2) The power granted by this section is in addition to other grants
of power to counties,
shall not be construed to limit or qualify any such grant and shall
be liberally construed, to the end that counties have all powers over matters of county concern that it
is possible for them to have
under the Constitutions and laws of the United States and of this
state. ...

Oregon Revised Statutes: 203.111;
County Governing Bodies:
... a county courtshall be the governing bodyand shall exercise general legislative authority over all matters
of county concern ...

“ ... the American county,
defined by Webster as 'the largest territorial division for local
government within a state ...,'is based on the Anglo-Saxon county of Englanddating
back to about the time of the Norman Conquest. ...
”
(Oregon Blue Book; Secretary of State, County Government
Section, 1997-98)

"Before the Norman conquest of England in
1066, the people were the fountainhead of Justice. The Anglo-Saxon courts of those days were composed of
large numbers of freemen, and the law
which they administered, was that which had been handed down by
oral tradition from generation to generation. In competition with
these popular, non-professional courts, the Norman King, who insisted
that he was the fountainhead of justice, set up his own tribunals.
The judges who presided over these royal courts were the agents
or representatives of the king, not of the people; but they were
professional lawyers * * * and the courts over which they presided
* * * gradually all but displaced the popular, non-professional
courts." "The Anglo-Saxon tribunals had been open
to all; every freeman could appeal to them for justice.
But there was no corresponding right to sue in the king's
courts. That was a privilege which had to be purchased by
any suitor who wished to avail himself of * * * royal justice.
These privileges were issued to suitors by the king's secretary
or chancellor,
and the document which evidenced the privilege was called an original
writ.
"Common Law Pleading"; by George L. Clark; Lawyers
Co-Op; 1947 (First Chapter, Opening)